,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #dcdg  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,july #bh1     
#bjbj,mr4 ,schatz 7for himself1 ,mr4    
,peters1 ,mr4 ,brown1 ,mrs4 ,feinstein1 
,mr4 ,cardin1 and ,mr4 ,van ,hollen7    
introduced the following bill2 which was
 read twice and referred to the         
,committee on ,homeland ,security and   
,governmental ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to  
establish a ,coronavirus ,rapid         
,response ,federal ,labor-,management   
,task ,force1 and for other purposes4   
#a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited
 as the ,federal ,labor-,management     
,,covid ,partnership ,act4  #b4         
,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,agency
 ,the term agency has the meaning given 
the term in section #gajc of title #e1  
,united ,states ,code4  7#b7            
,coronavirus ,the term coronavirus means
 the coronavirus disease of #bjai       
7,,covid-#ai74  7#c7 ,coronavirus crisis
 ,the term coronavirus crisis means the 
period-- 7,a7 beginning on ,january #bg1

 #bjbj1 the first day of the public     
health emergency declared by the        
,secretary of ,health and ,human        
,services under section #cai of the     
,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db      
,u4,s4,c4 #bdg;d7 on ,january #ca1      
#bjbj1 with respect to ,,covid-#ai2 and 
7,b7 ending on the date of the          
expiration of the public health         
emergency declaration4  7#d7 ,labor     
organization ,the term labor            
organization has the meaning given the  
term in section #gajc of title #e1      
,united ,states ,code4  7#e7 ,personal  
protective equipment ,the term personal 
protective equipment means any          
protective equipment required to prevent
 the wearer from contracting            
coronavirus1 which may include gloves1  
masks 7including ,n-#ie respirator      
masks71 gowns1 goggles or other eyewear1
 face shields1 or other garments or     
equipment required for safety or to     
protect the wearer's body from injury or
 infection based on the risk of         

exposure4  #c4 ,coronavirus ,rapid      
,response ,federal ,labor-,management   
,partnership ,task ,force  7a7          
,establishment ,there is established in 
the executive branch the ,coronavirus   
,rapid ,response ,federal               
,labor-,management ,partnership ,task   
,force 7referred to in this ,act as the 
,task ,force74  7b7 ,membership  7#a7   
,composition ,the ,task ,force shall be 
composed of the following members3 7,a7 
,the ,director of the ,office of        
,personnel ,management1 or the designee 
of the ,director4  7,b7 ,the ,director  
of the ,national ,institute for         
,occupational ,safety and ,health1 or   
the designee of the ,director4  7,c7    
,the ,assistant ,secretary of ,labor for
 ,occupational ,safety and ,health1 or  
the designee of the ,assistant          
,secretary4  7,d7 ,the ,deputy ,director
 for ,management of the ,office of      
,management and ,budget1 or the designee
 of the ,deputy ,director4  7,e7 ,a     
deputy secretary 7or other officer with 

agency-wide authority71 or the designee 
of such deputy secretary or officer1    
appointed by the ,president from each of
 #b agencies not otherwise represented  
on the ,task ,force4  7,f7 ,the         
,chairman of the ,federal ,labor        
,relations ,authority4  7,g7 ,the       
,director of the ,federal ,mediation and
 ,conciliation ,service4  7,h7 ,five    
members to represent the respective     
labor organizations that represent1 as  
exclusive representatives1 the first and
 second largest numbers of ,federal     
agency employees1 chosen by such        
respective labor organizations          
proportionate to the bargaining units   
represented by each such labor          
organization4  7,i7 ,one member to      
represent the organization representing 
the largest number of ,federal          
management officials and ,federal       
,government managers1 supervisors1 and  
executives1 chosen by such organization4
  7#b7 ,initial appointments ,the       
members of the ,task ,force shall be    

appointed or designated by not later    
than #ae days after the date of         
enactment of this ,act4  7#c7 ,period of
 appointment ,each member of the ,task  
,force shall serve for the term of the  
,task ,force4  7#d7 ,vacancies ,a       
vacancy in the ,task ,force-- 7,a7 shall
 not affect the powers of the ,task     
,force2 and  7,b7 shall be filled in the
 same manner as the original            
appointment4  7c7 ,meetings  7#a7       
,initial meeting ,the ,task ,force shall
 hold the first meeting of the ,task    
,force not later than #cj days after the
 date of enactment of this ,act4  7#b7  
,frequency ,the ,task ,force shall meet 
weekly by any electronic means          
necessary4  #d4 ,duties of ,task ,force 
7a7 ,responsibilities and ,functions    
7#a7 ,study ,the ,task ,force shall     
conduct a thorough study relating to the
 ,federal ,government's response and    
preparedness for the coronavirus crisis 
with respect to agency employees1 by--  
7,a7 addressing-- 7i7 the response of   

the ,federal ,government to the         
coronavirus crisis with respect to      
communication with1 and utilization and 
treatment of1 agency employees2  7ii7   
the necessary future steps for the      
,federal ,government with respect to    
communication regarding the coronavirus 
crisis with1 and utilization and        
treatment of1 agency employees2  7iii7  
how the ,federal ,government should     
communicate with1 and utilize or treat1 
agency employees regarding any future   
response to any additional outbreak of  
the coronavirus1 other widespread       
disease or disaster1 or national        
security emergency2 and  7iv7 each topic
 described in paragraph 7#b72  7,b7     
assessing the actions taken by each     
agency preparing the agency's employees 
for the coronavirus crisis1 including-- 
7i7 all communication 7including        
written1 audio1 and video               
communications1 telecommunications1 and 
communications through social media or  
website updates7 regarding the          

preparations with workforce members and 
labor organizations representing those  
members during the period beginning     
,january #a1 #bjbj1 and ending on the   
date by which the first report under    
subsection 7b77#a77;,a7 is due2  7ii7   
any changes made in the agency's threat 
assessment2 and  7iii7 an inventory and 
assessment of the physical assets       
available1 and the physical assets      
needed1 for the agency to properly      
respond to the coronavirus crisis2  7,c7
 establishing a recommended plan to     
implement changes needed1 as determined 
by the ,task ,force1 regarding each     
agency's threat assessment process and  
inventory and assessment of physical    
assets available or needed for the      
coronavirus crisis2 and  7,d7 making    
recommendations for improvements that   
could provide for greater safety and    
productivity of agency employees-- 7i7  
during ongoing operations during the    
coronavirus crisis2 and  7ii7 in        
preparation for future crises4  7#b7    

,topics ,the ,task ,force shall study   
and make recommendations regarding each 
of the following topics3 7,a7 ,role of  
labor organization participation        
,methods to ensure that agency employee 
labor organizations are participating in
 discussions and decision-making        
processes involving coronavirus response
 at the agencies4  7,b7 ,personal       
protective equipment distribution and   
workforce needs ,with respect to        
personal protective equipment-- 7i7 the 
adequate level of personal protective   
equipment needed by the agencies1 which 
should1 at a minimum1 provide for the   
broad use of masks1 gloves1 and eyewear2
 and  7ii7 the methods of procurement1  
allocation1 and distribution of such    
equipment4  7,c7 ,cleaning and          
disinfecting ,guidance regarding the    
best practices for cleaning and         
disinfecting workplaces and equipment4  
7,d7 ,telework ,the optimal telework    
policies for each agency1 including--   
7i7 reviewing the agency employees who  

were classified as telework personnel   
during the initial response to the      
coronavirus crisis and the timing and   
methods by which such decisions were    
communicated to the agency employees2   
7ii7 recommending best practices for    
such determinations and communication in
 the future2  7iii7 determining how much
 of the ,federal workforce can telework1
 and identifying the reasons1 if any1   
that an individual who is considered    
non-essential personnel of an agency    
cannot telework2  7iv7 determining--    
7,i7 what equipment and training had    
been necessary1 prior to the coronavirus
 crisis1 to allow agency employees to be
 telework-ready2  7,,ii7 how much of    
that equipment and training was in place
 at the beginning of the coronavirus    
crisis2  7,,iii7 the equipment and      
training that has been provided         
regarding teleworking since the         
beginning of the coronavirus crisis2    
7,,iv7 the additional work of agencies  
that can be conducted in a telework     

mode1 if additional equipment and       
training are provided2 and  7,v7 the    
future steps to take to ensure all      
agency employees whose jobs can be      
conducted through telework are          
telework-ready2 and  7v7 determining    
guidelines for telework orders1 for the 
entire executive branch or based on     
location or agency1 that take into      
consideration health and safety of      
agency employees1 the families and      
coworkers of agency employees1 and the  
general public4  7,e7 ,leave and safety 
protocol guidance and other information 
,guidance for agency employees regarding
 the use of leave during a national     
health pandemic and proper safety       
protocols in the workplace1 and any     
other information that needs to be      
shared with agency employees in a timely
 manner during a crisis or as a crisis  
develops4  7,f7 ,after-action           
determinations ,improvements to the     
,federal ,government's response to the  
coronavirus crisis in the future1 or to 

another health pandemic1 including-- 7i7
 the actions that need to be taken1 and 
the funds that need to be budgeted and  
appropriated1 to improve coronavirus    
response in the future1 including       
necessary technology 7such as           
telecommunications equipment and        
computers71 personal protective         
equipment1 training1 and instruction2   
7ii7 recommended guidelines regarding   
who decides protocols and what          
information should be relied upon to    
determine who needs personal protective 
equipment and other safety measures2 and
  7iii7 the resources1 communications1  
physical tools1 and decision-making     
protocols needed in the future to best  
respond to the coronavirus crisis or    
another health pandemic4  7b7 ,reports  
7#a7 ,in general ,the ,task ,force shall
 prepare and submit1 in accordance with 
paragraph 7#b7-- 7,a7 by #fj days after 
the date of enactment of this ,act1 a   
report that includes an assessment of   
the agency actions described in         

subparagraphs 7,a77i7 and 7,b7 of       
subsection 7a77#a7 as of such date2     
7,b7 by #ij days after the date of      
enactment of this ,act1 a report that   
includes a complete assessment of the   
response of the agencies to the         
coronavirus crisis1 as of the date of   
the assessment2 and  7,c7 by #ahj days  
after the date of enactment of this     
,act1 a report that provides-- 7i7 a    
plan for agencies to address future     
crises2 and  7ii7 recommendations of the
 ,task ,force regarding the topics and  
areas addressed in the study under      
subsection 7a74  7#b7 ,submission ,the  
,task ,force shall prepare and submit   
the reports described in paragraph 7#a7 
to the chairperson and ranking member of
 each of the following committees3 7,a7 
,the ,committee on ,oversight and       
,reform1 the ,committee on ,homeland    
,security1 and the ,committee on        
,appropriations of the ,house of        
,representatives4  7,b7 ,the ,committee 
on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental

 ,affairs1 the ,committee on ,commerce1 
,science1 and ,transportation1 and the  
,committee on ,appropriations of the    
,senate4  #e4 ,powers of ,task ,force   
7a7 ,hearings ,the ,task ,force may hold
 such hearings1 sit and act at such     
times and places1 take such testimony1  
and receive such evidence as the ,task  
,force considers advisable to carry out 
this ,act4  7b7 ,information from       
,federal agencies  7#a7 ,in general ,the
 ,task ,force may secure directly from  
an agency such information as the ,task 
,force considers necessary to carry out 
this ,act4  7#b7 ,furnishing information
 ,on request of the ,task ,force1 the   
head of an agency shall furnish the     
information to the ,task ,force4  7#c7  
,required interviews ,in order to carry 
out its duties under this ,act1 the     
,task ,force shall take testimony and   
conduct interviews to determine how     
agencies responded and prepared their   
employees for the coronavirus response1 
including-- 7,a7 collecting data and    

conducting after-action interviews with 
the head of each agency1 the            
highest-level human capital and health  
and safety managers of each agency1 and1
 as applicable1 the labor organization  
representatives for each agency2 and    
7,b7 any other verbal1 written1 or      
in-person testimony1 as determined      
appropriate by the ,task ,force1 from   
any officer or employee of each agency  
who had a responsibility to respond to  
the coronavirus crisis4  7#d7 ,publicly 
available transcripts ,the ,task ,force 
shall make public a transcript of each  
interview conducted1 except in cases    
where national security concerns        
prevents such disclosure4 ,the ,task    
,force shall document any instances     
where interviews are not made public4   
7c7 ,postal services ,the ,task ,force  
may use the ,united ,states mails in the
 same manner and under the same         
conditions as other departments and     
agencies of the ,federal ,government4   
#f4 ,task ,force personnel matters  7a7 

,travel expenses ,a member of the ,task 
,force shall not receive compensation   
for their services on the ,task ,force1 
but shall be allowed travel expenses1   
including per diem in lieu of           
subsistence1 at rates authorized for    
employees of agencies under subchapter  
,i of chapter #eg of title #e1 ,united  
,states ,code1 while away from their    
homes or regular places of business in  
the performance of services for the     
,task ,force4  7b7 ,staff ,the ,task    
,force may1 without regard to any other 
provision of law or regulation1 appoint 
and remove such personnel as may be     
necessary to enable the ,task ,force to 
perform the duties of the ,task ,force4 
7c7 ,compensation  7#a7 ,in general     
,notwithstanding any other law1 rule1   
regulation1 or ,executive order1 each   
representative of a labor organization  
shall be authorized official time that  
is sufficient to perform investigations1
 participate in the functions of the    
,task ,force1 and be actively involved  

in the activities of the ,task ,force   
for the pendency of the ,task ,force4   
7#b7 ,infrastructure ,during the        
pendency of the ,task ,force1 and       
notwithstanding any other law1 rule1    
regulation1 agreement1 or ,executive    
order1 the head of each agency shall1   
with respect to any labor organization  
that is the exclusive representative of 
a bargaining unit of not fewer than #ejj
 employees-- 7,a7 provide such labor    
organization with a reasonable amount of
 office space1 at no cost to the labor  
organization1 in all facilities leased1 
controlled1 operated1 or owned by the   
agency2  7,b7 allow #a employee of the  
agency1 as designated by the labor      
organization1 to serve full-time as the 
representative of the labor organization
 to the ,task ,force1 with such service 
being authorized as official time2  7,c7
 provide at least reasonable access to  
email systems of that agency for the    
purpose of communicating with members of
 the unit with respect to which the     

labor organization is the exclusive     
representative2 and  7,d7 provide the   
home address and telephone number for   
each member of the unit represented by  
the labor organization4  7d7 ,detail of 
,federal employees  7#a7 ,in general ,an
 employee of an agency may be detailed  
to the ,task ,force without             
reimbursement to the agency4  7#b7      
,effect of detail  7,a7 ,in general ,an 
employee detailed under paragraph 7#a7--
 7i7 is deemed1 for the purpose of      
preserving the allowances1 privileges1  
rights1 seniorities1 and other benefits 
of the employee1 an employee of the     
agency from which detailed2 and  7ii7 is
 entitled to pay1 allowances1 and       
benefits from funds available to the    
agency described in clause 7i74  7e7    
,procurement of temporary and           
intermittent services ,the ,task ,force 
may procure temporary and intermittent  
services under section #caji7;b7 of     
title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 at     
rates for individuals that do not exceed

 the daily equivalent of the annual rate
 of basic pay prescribed for level ,v of
 the ,executive ,schedule under section 
#ecaf of that title4  #g4 ,termination  
of ,task ,force ,the ,task ,force shall 
terminate #ij days after the date on    
which the ,task ,force submits the final
 report required under section          
#d7;b77#a77;,c74  #h4 ,agency working   
groups  7a7 ,in general ,not later than 
#fj days after the date of enactment of 
this ,act1 the head of each agency shall
 establish an agency-specific working   
group1 comprised of representatives of  
human capital1 health and safety1 and   
labor organizations of the agency1 to   
develop and execute rapid response to   
future crises that include-- 7#a7 the   
role of labor organization              
participation2  7#b7 preparedness       
acquisition and distribution of personal
 protective equipment2  7#c7 physical   
needs of the workforce2  7#d7 a plan for
 maximum telework1 if appropriate2  7#e7
 leave and safety protocol guidance2 and

  7#f7 other information needed to      
execute rapid response plans to address 
future crises4  7b7 ,compensation  7#a7 
,in general ,notwithstanding any other  
law1 rule1 regulation1 or ,executive    
order1 each representative of a labor   
organization shall be authorized        
official time sufficient to investigate1
 participate1 and be actively involved  
in the working group for the pendency of
 the working group4  7#b7               
,infrastructure ,during the pendency of 
the working group1 and notwithstanding  
any other law1 rule1 regulation1        
agreement1 or ,executive order1 the head
 of each agency shall1 with respect to  
any labor organization that is the      
exclusive representative of a bargaining
 unit of not fewer than #ejj employees--
 7,a7 provide such labor organization   
with a reasonable amount of office      
space1 at no cost to the labor          
organization1 in all facilities leased1 
controlled1 operated1 or owned by the   
agency2  7,b7 allow #a employee of the  

agency1 to be designated by the labor   
organization1 to serve full-time as the 
representative of the labor organization
 to the ,task ,force1 with such service 
being authorized as official time2  7,c7
 provide at least reasonable access to  
email systems of that agency for the    
purpose of communicating with members of
 the unit with respect to which the     
labor organization is the exclusive     
representative2 and  7,d7 provide the   
home address and telephone number for   
each member of the unit represented by  
the labor organization4